5A Playoffs Preview: Top Austin-Metroplex Players
With the 2019-20 regular season wrapped up and the 5A Texas High School Playoffs beginning this week with bi-district rounds, there are more than a handful of talented players from the Austin-Metroplex that could make a splash in the state…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2019-20 regular season wrapped up and the 5A Texas High School Playoffs beginning this week with bi-district rounds, there are more than a handful of talented players from the Austin-Metroplex that could make a splash in the state tournament.
Three districts and 12 total teams will represent the Austin-Metroplex in the 5A bracket. District 17 had Cedar Park (11-1) take the district title, with Glenn (9-3), Pflugerville Connally (8-4) and Weiss (8-4) rounding out the playoff teams. In District 18 Hutto finished the season undefeated at 12-0. Manor (9-3), Georgetown (7-4), and Cedar Creek (6-6) earned the 2-4 seeds from District 18. Austin LBJ (13-1) won the title for District 25. Dripping Springs finished in second place with a 12-2 record, with Northeast Early College and Austin Travis finishing out the District 25 playoff teams with 8-6 records.
Here are some players from the Austin-Metroplex to keep an eye on in the 5A playoffs:
Cory Canada – Cedar Creek (Bastrop) – 6-5 Shooting Guard
Averaging 23.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a senior, Canada has the opportunity to turn Cedar Creek from a fourth seed in District 18 to a cinderella team in the Region III 5A bracket. Canada is a volume scorer who has deep range from beyond the arc. The Eagles will need a big performance from Canada to get past Cedar Park in the opening round.
Jean-Pierre Sanders – Hutto – 5-10 Point Guard
Sanders is the second-leading scorer in District 18 with 22 points per game, while also averaging 5.3 assists, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 steals per game. His all-around game led the Hippos to a 31-3 overall record and an undefeated district title. Sanders ended the regular season with a 30-point performance against Cedar Creek and will look to remain hot entering into the bi-district round matchup versus Pflugerville Connally.
Princeton Humphries – Weiss – 5-11 Shooting Guard
Weiss snuck into the playoffs behind great play from Humphries during the district schedule. As a senior, he averaged 13.6 points per game and was a leader on the court for the Wolves. Humphries is a do-it-all player for the Wolves who can get to the rim at will and has a good mid-range shot. Humphries and the Wolves will look to upset Manor in their bi-district round matchup.
Trace Young – Dripping Springs – 6-2 Combo Guard
Young, a Colorado State commit and ranked number 178 in Texas, was the leader on the court for the Tigers during their 12-2 run in District-25. With a high IQ on the court, Young constantly found himself in a position to succeed by making plays on both offense and defense. Young and the Tigers face a tough Boerne-Champion squad in the bi-district round.
Xavier Phillips – Dripping Springs – 6-1 Shooting Guard
Phillips, a Texas Lutheran University commit, was also a big contributor to the Tigers successful 2019-20 season. As a senior Phillips showed off his scoring ability with a high percentage from beyond the arc and strong drives into the paint for layups. Dripping Springs has a stacked backcourt, and Phillips is the key to giving the Tigers a deep run in the playoffs.
Honorable mention:
Kaden Smart – Hutto – 6-0 Combo Guard
Carloz Ramirez – Cedar Creek (Bastrop) – 5-9 Point Guard
Alfred Collins – Cedar Creek (Bastrop) – 6-6 Power Forward
Jayden Guevara – Dripping Springs – 6-1 Point Guard
Aidan Bailey – Dripping Springs – 5-11 Shooting Guard
Jordan Teal – Austin LBJ – 6-2 Shooting Guard
Levi Rutledge – Cedar Park – 6-5 Small Forward